Fruit-sorter.



PA'fENTED Y'ze, 1903.

A. 0. NIEMANN,

FRUIT SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4. 1902.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F0 MODEL.

IN VEN TOR W/ TNESSES Allarm l THE mam; PETERS C0,, PHQTQMTMQ,WASHINGTON v PATENTBD MAY 26, 1903. A. o. NIEMANN.

I No. 729,395

FRUIT SORTER;

APPLICATION FILED ran. 4.1002.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

WIT/v 555s INVENTOR Home) ThE mews PETERS cm.

UNITED STATES;

Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT ()FFICE.

AUGUST 0. NIEMANN, OF PORT CLINTON, OHIO.

FRUIT-SORTER.

IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,395, dated May 26,1903.

Application filed February 4, 1902. Serial No. 92,497. (No modeL) To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST 0. NIEMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Port Clinton, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio,have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Fruit Sorters; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

This invention relates to sorters and graders for fruit,onions,and othersubstantially round articles; and it consists in the novel constructionand combination of the parts hereinafter fully describedan'd claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudina section through the machine.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is an end view showing thedriving mechanism. Fig.

4 is a cross-section Fig. 2.

A is the frame of the machine, which'is supported on legs 0t.

13 represents the grading-rollers, which are taken on the line m a; in

journaled longitudinally in the frame A'..

Each roller B consists'of aseries of cones.

0 represents parallel guides secured to the frame. The axes of therollers 13 are set at an angle to the guides, so that the sides of thecones are parallel with the guides, each cone being at a differentdistance from the guide to which it pertains and the fruit being gradedby falling through the spaces between the cones and the guide. The conesare revolved continuously,'and their conical A shape causes the fruitwhich passes over them to be turned over with a twisting motion.

The guides C have inclined faces 0 for the fruit to rest against, and Drepresents endless conveyors arranged longitudinally of the machine ingrooves 12 at the bottom edges of the guides.

The conveyers D are formed of cords, belts, Wire ropes, or any otherapproved form of conveyer-band and are supported by sheaves d and d. Thesheaves d are secured on the driving-shaftE of the machine, which isjournaled in bearings e at its receiving end. The sheaves d are carriedby spring pressed brackets e at the other end of the machine,

fruit is moved longitudinally of the machine by contact with theconveyers.

F is a guard secured to the table or frame Thedirt and rubbish mixedwith the fruit' falls through the slats of the receiving-table, and g isan inclined board under the table, which prevents any dirt from fallingonto the driving mechanism. Inclined projectinglips g are provided atthe bottom of the table, which let the fruit roll gently down onto theguides and rollers.

H represents toothed driving-wheels, which connect'the driving-shaft Ewith the rollers 13. The driving-shaft E is revolved in any approvedmanner.

I is a crank-shaft journaled in brackets secured to the frame andprovided with cranks i and a fly-wheel z". The crank-shaft is connectedwith the driving-shaft by a drive-chain j and sprocket-wheels] oranyother approved driving connection.

K represents treadles which are connected with the cranks .rl by rodsIt.

The fruit is caught in suitable hoppers as it falls from thegrading-rollers and guides. A separate hopper is provided for each gradeof fruit, and the rollers are furnished with as many cones as desirable.The smallest and hardest fruit, such as peaches, falls into a hopper Mor chute formed of slats which allow the dirt to fall between-them,These slats are provided with pads. or cushions on their upper sides, sothat the fruit will not be bruised when it falls on them. The largerfruit is preferably caughtin hoppers or chutes N, of canvas or othertextile material. These hoppers extend crosswise under both rollers, andin order that the fruit which falls from one roller may not fall on thefruit rolling down the hopper each hopper is provided so that the cordsare always kept taut. The

with an inclined false bottom 01, of canvas or other textile material.The canvas hoppers are supported by suitable frames of rods or stoutwire and are furnished with flaps at their outlet ends, which are letdown, so that the fruit may be received into suitable receptacles forremoval and shipment.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a sorting-machine, the combination, with aguide, and a conveyer for moving the articles longitudinally of theguide; of a roller formed of a series of cones having their larger endsarranged toward the discharge of the machine, said roller being mountedin the same general plane with the said guide but with its axis inclinedthereto at an angle suificient to place the adjacent surfaces of itscones substantially parallel to the said guide and at differentdistances from it, substantially as set forth.

2. In a sorting-machine, the combination, with a guide having aninclined face, and an endless conveyor having its upper portion arrangedat the bottom of the inclined face of the said guide; of a roller formedof a series of cones having their larger ends arranged toward thedischarge of the machine, said roller being mounted in the same generalplane with the said guide but with its axis inclined thereto at an anglesufficient to place the adjacent surfaces of its cones substantiallyparallel to the said guide and at diiferent distances from it,substantially as set forth.

In a sorting-machine, the combination, with guides and sorting-rollersarranged side by side, of a main hopper or chute extending crosswise ofthe machine under the said rollers, and an auxiliary chute or falsebottom arranged under one of the said rollers and discharging into thedelivery end of the said main hopper, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST 0. NIEMANN.

W'itnesses:

C. L. BRAUCHER, SCOTT STAHL.

